# guerrilla

/ɡɝˈɪɫə/ (US) · /ɡɛɹˈɪlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/guerrilla
Updated: 2026-08-08

## Senses

### 1. irregular soldier

noun · CEFR B2

a soldier in a small, independent group that fights a larger, official army using surprise attacks.

For teachers: a member of an irregular, usually indigenous, armed force that fights a stronger, conventional military through sabotage and harassment.

- The guerrillas hid in the mountains and attacked the supply trucks at night.
- The government forces struggled to contain the guerrillas, who utilized their knowledge of the dense jungle to launch effective hit-and-run operations.

## Examples

- The guerrilla fighters hid in the thick jungle to avoid detection.
- The government struggled to defeat the guerrilla movement because the fighters were deeply embedded within the local villages.
- Historians often distinguish between conventional warfare and guerrilla tactics, noting that the latter relies heavily on the psychological exhaustion of a superior force over time.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.